Around Baseball: 'No words' for Cliff Lee's success

Josh Weir

Saturday

Aug 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMAug 30, 2008 at 1:46 PM

Most baseball fans know the feel-good story of Cliff Lee by now. He was the guy who got hurt, got sent down and got left off the Indians postseason roster in 2007. A year later, he’s in the process of the ultimate comeback. But Lee’s season is way past the uplifting stage. It’s wandered into unexplainable.

Most baseball fans know the feel-good story of Cliff Lee by now.

He was the guy who got hurt, got sent down and got left off the Indians postseason roster in 2007. A year later, he’s in the process of the ultimate comeback. But Lee’s season is way past the uplifting stage.

It’s wandered into unexplainable.

“I don’t have words for it,” Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch, I can tell you that.”

Lee is 19-2. He’s just the eighth pitcher since 1920 to win 19 of his first 21 decisions, the last being Roger Clemens in 2001.

Lee’s tied for the most wins in baseball. He’s tied for the best ERA (2.43) in baseball. He has the best winning percentage (.905) in baseball.

This might be a good time to mention he didn’t have a secure spot in the Indians rotation during Spring Training.

A win Monday night against the White Sox would make Lee the first Indians pitcher in 34 years to gain 20 victories. The last was Gaylord Perry. Lee’s 19 wins are tied for the most by a Cleveland pitcher through August in the last 50 years.

Lee’s not a big-picture person. The Arkansas native avoids talking about his season in any kind of grand scope. Instead of talking about where his season fits in baseball history, he’d rather talk about the White Sox.

But his teammates are more than willing to gush about the lefty, who turned 30 on Saturday.

Donnelly watched Red Sox teammate Josh Beckett go 20-7 last year with a 3.27 ERA and finish second in the AL Cy Young voting. Beckett was a horse in the playoffs, leading Boston past Cleveland in the ALCS en route to a World Series title.

Still, Donnelly marvels at Lee’s season.

“This game is the very toughest game out there,” Donnelly said. “What he’s doing, I mean, he’s one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the game right now. Does it take a little bit of luck to do this? Sure. But his numbers don’t suggest that he’s needed a lot of luck.”

The numbers suggest mastery.

- Lee won his first six starts of the season, and had a 0.67 ERA after seven starts.

- He’s won eight consecutive decisions, including seven since starting the All-Star Game.

- In August, he went 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA.

- He’s walked more than two batters once in 26 starts.

- He’s allowed more than two earned runs twice in his last 15 starts and just six times all season.

- He’s lasted at least five innings in all his starts.

Lee, who went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA last year, has obviously put the past behind. Shifting his focus to the present, even on a start-by-start basis, has been his theme all season.

When asked what’s stood out to him about Lee, Willis said, “I just think it’s how he’s moved on from one start to the next. There’s been no carryover really.

“The couple of rough ones he’s had, he’s just moved on. By the same token, the good ones he’s had, he’s done the same thing. He’s not taking it for granted that that’s what’s going to happen the next time. He’s done his work to give him the best chance each time.”

To Willis’ point, Lee’s induced 22 groundball double plays, which are tied for the 11th most in baseball. The number is eight more than his previous career high.

Lee maintains his confidence did not waver through the tough times. To Tribe catcher Kelly Shoppach, that confidence is apparent.

“He believes every time he can go out there and win,” Shoppach said. “I don’t know that that’s different than any other year, but he just seems to have no fear to throw any pitch, any time. He’s confident in all his pitches, and he believes that he’s capable of getting outs with every pitch he throws. That goes a long way.”

Shoppach has a hard time pointing to any of Lee’s outings in particular.

Information

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The State Journal-Register ~ Street address: One Copley Plaza (corner of Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue), Springfield, ILMailing address: The State Journal-Register, P.O. Box 219, Springfield, IL 62705-0219 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service